If you want to make a good first impression on potential buyers, you need to put in the work. As much as you might love your home, hosting an open house without a little elbow grease is a recipe for disaster.
You’ll need to change a few things up, do some freshening up, and take a few other steps in order to prepare for people to take a look around. Remember that potential buyers are looking for potential for their own happy ending, and they need to be able to see themselves living comfortably in your space – here’s how to make that happen.
Boost Curb Appeal
We all know that first impressions matter – a lot. That’s why curb appeal is such a big deal in real estate. The very first thing that potential buyers see is the front of the house, so you need to make sure it looks nice.
Make sure to address any maintenance issues like leaking gutters or damage to your roof. For professional roofing services, look for a reliable option like a Litespeed Construction Asheville roofing contractor to ensure the job is done right (and fast). Once everything is in good condition, you can trim the lawn and add some colorful potted plants.
Declutter and Depersonalize
Next up, you need to make this feel like a home – instead of your home. It’s harder for home buyers to envision their life in a space if it’s filled with your family photos hung on the walls and your martial arts trophies decorating the shelves. That’s why it’s time to declutter!
Since you’ll be leaving this home, decluttering is a great way to prepare for your move anyway, so you’re killing two birds with one stone. Get rid of anything you don’t need and pack away items that are personal to you. Try to make the space look neutral as far as possible.
Highlight Key Features
You’ll want to show off the best parts of your home and make sure potential buyers know what’s great about living there. You might want to move some furniture around, do an extra bit of decorating, or simply clean up the space to make these key features look their best.
Perhaps you have a stunning kitchen – make sure it’s spotless and well-lit, and consider baking a fresh batch of cookies right before people arrive. If your home has a beautiful backyard, consider staging an outdoor seating area to show off its potential.
Freshen Up
Finally, take extra care with your cleaning before potential buyers start arriving. Clean in all the places you usually skip over, replace broken lightbulbs, and trim that rose bush that’s been growing wild.
You might even take this as an opportunity to apply a fresh lick of paint to walls or doors that look a little dull. If you’re going to be cleaning or repainting your roof during this process, make sure you choose the appropriate footwear for roofing so that you don’t risk a slip – click here for a comprehensive guide.